Harry Kane: Who will score the goals for Spurs with
the striker out injured?
Chris Waddle says
the injury to Harry Kane is “devastating” for his former club Tottenham
Tottenham losing striker Harry Kane until at least early March with an
ankle injury is "absolutely devastating" says former Spurs winger
Chris Waddle.
The 25-year-old England captain was injured in Sunday's 1-0 Premier
League defeat by Manchester United and Spurs say the player will return to
training in early March.
Kane, Spurs' top scorer this season, could miss up to 11 games,
including the Champions League last-16 tie with Borussia Dortmund, the second
leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea and crucial league games
against Chelsea and Arsenal.
His injury, combined with the absence of South Korean forward Son
Heung-min who is on Asian Cup duty, has left Spurs short of firepower.
The pair have scored 47% of Spurs' Premier League goals this season
"To lose him [Kane] until March is absolutely devastating,"
ex-England international Waddle told Radio 5 live. "I'm sure they're
looking around Europe, even someone out of favour who could do a job for three
months. Could they get someone on loan with a fee to tick them over until the
end of the season?"
So who are Spurs' options in Kane and Son's absence?
The back-up - Fernando Llorente
Will Llorente
finally get his chance at Spurs?
The 6ft 4in Spanish striker, 33, has scored four goals this season in 14
games, including a hat-trick in the FA Cup third round against Tranmere earlier
this month.
Llorente, who joined from Swansea for £12m in 2017, has regularly played
back-up to Kane and his six Premier League appearances this season have all
come from the bench.
Waddle said: "Llorente you would think would come in but he's not
as mobile as Kane. He's probably best going with [Lucas] Moura at the moment
with [Dele] Alli behind."
Former Spurs boss David Pleat added: "Llorente is a very honest
trainer, he has had to play in the shadows, he is excellent in the air, and did
wonderfully well for Swansea before he came to Spurs. Last time he played he
was excellent albeit against Tranmere. Fans should not be too downcast, it
could be he goes in and does particularly well."
The forgotten man - Vincent Janssen
Can Janssen revive
his Spurs career?
The 24-year-old Dutch striker joined Spurs for £17 million in July 2016,
but has barely featured for the club.
His first year in English football saw him score six goals in 38
appearances and the following season was spent on loan at Turkish side
Fenerbahce.
After recovering from a foot injury, he played his first game for the club
since 20 August 2017 earlier this month in the under-23s.
"People forget they've still got Janssen they can't get rid of and
he might have to come off the bench in games," said Waddle.
Spend big? - Marko Arnautovic?
Is Arnautovic
heading across London?
Spurs made no signings in the summer, becoming the first Premier League
club to do so since the current transfer window system was adopted in 2003.
But in the last January transfer window they signed Brazil winger Moura
for £23m from Paris St-Germain.
One option this year could be West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic, who has
been the subject of a £35m bid from an unnamed Chinese side.
West Ham say the Austrian, who has eight goals this season, is not for
sale but Arnautovic's brother and agent says he wants to move.
"I believe you always need one new face in the summer," said
Burnley striker Jonathan Walters. "You knew Son was going away so at some
point they'd need all their strikers. Llorente perhaps doesn't fit how they
want to play. I can't see them getting someone in the window.
"A lot of big teams don't do big business in January. To bring
someone in is a risk.
"But if it comes down to it they may have to spend a bit of money.
Arnautovic - his brother has made noises. It happened at Stoke. The money in
China is a major factor for going there but he'd be ready made to go into a
Tottenham team. He's a phenomenal player, good guy and would fit right in.
Would West Ham sell him to Tottenham?"
Leftfield choice? Giuseppe Rossi
Is Rossi coming
back to the Premier League?
The 31-year-old ex-Italy forward is currently training at former club
Manchester United and is a free agent after leaving Genoa in the summer.
Rossi, who has played for Villarreal and Fiorentina, has missed almost a quarter of his career due to
injuries.
Walters said Rossi "might be an option," adding: "Could
he be a short-term solution?"
Former West Ham midfielder Jack Collison added: "Manchester United
are flying and only seven points behind [in the Premier League] so they won't
want to start losing games. It's an important couple of months and a test for
Pochettino.
"It's an interesting point about Rossi. When Llorente came on they
went more direct and it doesn't suit Eriksen and Alli. They don't want to be
changing their style of play."
What about the rest of the Spurs
forwards?
Pleat says Spurs do not have any young players "ready to come
in."
So they may have to look at their existing forwards to step up -
Christian Eriksen, Lucas Moura, Erik Lamela and Dele Alli.
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